Painted canvas fragment c. 20th century

Editor: Here we have Barnett Newman's "Painted canvas fragment," a small, irregularly shaped piece of vibrant orange canvas. It’s so minimal. What am I missing here? What do you see in it? Curator: Consider the labor involved. Canvas production, paint creation, the artist's very act of painting – it all represents material and human resources. The fragment itself suggests a larger whole, raising questions about production, consumption, and perhaps even waste. Editor: Waste? Curator: Yes, consider the canvas as a commodity. A fragment implies something discarded, highlighting the life cycle of art materials and the social implications of their use and disposal. It invites us to look at value and discard in a new light. Editor: That's a completely different way to approach a painting. I see how it challenges ideas about high art. Thanks!